New Game, Same Result: Time To Rest Cook

 

 

Ashes 2013

 

Different game, same result

 

January 12^th 2014

 

The change to coloured pyjamas and a completely different team, with only five survivors from the Melbourne Test, has changed nothing. One of the very few pieces of good news for England is the way that Chris Jordan seized his chance and bowled with some pace and aggression.

Alistair Cook failed to see out the first over. England were two down for very little. The scoring was arthritic: Australia managed to score at double the rate of England for the first eleven overs of their innings and England were barely above three an over for the first twelve, leaving the middle order to sort out the mess, as usual. Add to this the way that, when a chance was offered by the batsmen, more often than not it was not taken and one such drop cost England more than one hundred runs, you can see that Tests and ODIs are not so different after all.

England had a good spell around overs 28-33 when runs were coming at 6-7 per over. The run rate was threatening to reach the dizzy heights of 5-an-over. There was the chance of the sort of total of around 300 that even a misfiring attack can defend. And then, the runrate dropped back again and did not reach the high of over 33 again until the end of the 42^nd over. Even 86 from the last ten overs was not sufficient to rescue things. And this was with Australia playing their reserve attack. What will happen when Mitch Johnson starts to roar in does not bear thinking of.

A captain and a coach can only work with what they have, but you have to get the best out of the players that you have got. Steve Finn, one of the most lethal ODI bowlers in the world, is now no longer even considered good enough to pick and Cook and Root at the top of the order look so short of form and confidence that England are effectively giving Australia a two wicket start and batting with at least five fewer overs than the opposition. Root’s painful stay of 23 balls for 3 runs is symptomatic. Twelve months ago Joe Root was brim-full of confidence and runs; now he really looks to be benefiting more the opposition: one wonders why Clint McKay was not given a huge bollocking by his captain for removing him.

If that was not sufficient, after an expensive start with the ball, Boyd Rankin cramped up again and could not come back for a second spell, even when a tiny window was opened by two quick wickets.

For the second ODI, England need to consider seriously dropping Cook, Root and Rankin, Finn should come in, whatever, as should Tredwell and Eoin Morgan should take over the captaincy, with Michael Carberry opening.